Author Topic: Colwyn Bay Waterfront Redevelopment  (Read 408447 times)

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Offline Merddin Emrys

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Re: Colwyn Bay Waterfront Redevelopment
« Reply #450 on: May 22, 2013, 01:04:24 pm »
The reception desk in the new building was empty when we were there on Saturday.

In hindsight, I think County Councillors from the Colwyn Bay area missed a trick and could have manned this desk on a rota over the weekend to answer questions from their constituents.

.

Probably too embarrassed!  WWW
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Offline BMD

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Re: Colwyn Bay Waterfront Redevelopment
« Reply #451 on: May 22, 2013, 02:18:08 pm »
Yes ,shame about the Pier , how nice would Colwyn bay beach look without it. The trouble is now with the Waterfront there having a Pier as well looks too cluttered on the promenade.

Again, sorry to disagree here... but I think the Victorians knew a thing or two - and I think the positioning of the pier was perfect for this stretch (and shape) of bay. By their very nature, piers don't obstruct much, in terms of view. I see them as lattice-like enhancements.

Of course, nobody likes to see something that's rotting before our eyes. But that's a different issue from whether a pier fits that location. (I'm convinced, like the Victorians, that a pier does fit there). If the pier does get demolished, I think the Bay will lose something precious and irreplaceable. Future generations will wonder how we took these things for granted, and talked of them as so much "clutter".



Offline Merddin Emrys

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Re: Colwyn Bay Waterfront Redevelopment
« Reply #452 on: May 22, 2013, 02:32:34 pm »
BMD, many wise words!  $good$
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Offline Yorkie

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Re: Colwyn Bay Waterfront Redevelopment
« Reply #453 on: May 22, 2013, 06:49:53 pm »
BMD said, "If the pier does get demolished, I think the Bay will lose something precious and irreplaceable."

Of course, that will then be the second pier that will have disappeared from the Bay.
Rhos-on-Sea pier disappeared 60 years ago and I don't suppose anyone missed it!   
It was much longer than Colwyn Bay Pier and serviced pleasure boats between Liverpool, Rhyl, and Conwy. It was sectioned during World War II for defence reasons.

It was damaged by fire and was pulled down in 1954.    ZXZ
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Offline viv

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Re: Colwyn Bay Waterfront Redevelopment
« Reply #454 on: May 22, 2013, 08:19:53 pm »
The business plan that I saw for the pier estimates at least £100k per annum needed for sustainability. That takes a hell of a lot of finding when there are times when nobody will venture there due to bad weather. Coupled with the fact that Porth Eirias will be trying to attract people too. Put buildings on it that will need maintaining and the overheads rocket. I would have thought that Hastings pier also had insurance to help the re-building. Llandudno Pier has seen better days and needs work - Piers are a nightmare to maintain but can be lovely if there is enough investment.

Porth Eirias is never going to be "lovely" but hopefully practical !I can sympathise with many of the comments about the Waterfront Hub, and it was not my favourite design (I liked the glass yacht) but it is not finished yet - e.g. landscaping is terrible! Unfortunately modern architecture is not always aesthetically pleasing. My heart sank when I first saw all the concrete, but that has improved with the cladding. The Town Council has raised the subject of the safety of the walls on the top level - potential for kids to climb over with a massive drop - and that is being discussed by the Project board (which has no Town Council representation). When the franchises are let there will be more going on indoors. I agree that the play area is in a strange place, but parents can sit close by, and the equipment is good.

Offline Merddin Emrys

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Re: Colwyn Bay Waterfront Redevelopment
« Reply #455 on: May 22, 2013, 08:41:23 pm »
Seems on the building design we agree more than I thought Viv! Good to hear!  :D
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Offline BMD

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Re: Colwyn Bay Waterfront Redevelopment
« Reply #456 on: May 22, 2013, 09:05:50 pm »
The business plan that I saw for the pier estimates at least £100k per annum needed for sustainability. That takes a hell of a lot of finding when there are times when nobody will venture there due to bad weather.

It'd be interesting to see comparisons of the pier & the Waterfront building in terms of ongoing costs, etc - particularly with regard to the money that has to be "found", and the proposals for where it's to be found. Where is the Waterfront building getting its funding from, on an ongoing basis?

The Waterfront building is touted as an "attraction" - the implication is that it will bring in money indirectly, via all the people it "attracts" to the town (or at least this is how it's been sold by some council members). But the same could be said of a well-renovated pier. Plus, the pier has the advantage of being closer to the town - it's directly opposite the main entrance to the promenade, a short stroll from the train station.

Offline Linda

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Re: Colwyn Bay Waterfront Redevelopment
« Reply #457 on: May 22, 2013, 10:29:51 pm »
Maybe the building on the waterfront should have been left until it was known what would happen to the pier then both waterfront and pier could have been designed to compliment each other.
On the other hand we have to remember the waterfront whether we hate it or not  was done as part of the sea defence. I think I read one of the original ideas for a seadefence  system was mainly a rock frontage all around the bay(Not good) by
anyones standards.
The Victorian buildings on the pier are long gone and would have been wonderful to see it return, but i sadly wonder if it is practical.
What would have been nice is just to have the basic pier restored and maybe a small token building on it maybe like Bangor Pier. Therefore there wouldn't be all these possible retail outlets needing to be used. I say this from seeing a friend struggling with a shop on
the Pier some years ago.
Colwyn Bay hasn't got the footfall that Llandudno has, with so many busy hotels and visitors using the pier there because people only have to walk a little way along the promenade. Yes there is a path through from town down to the Pier but sadly I don't see many visitors coming to stay in Colwyn Bay Town anymore ,  there isn't enough in the town to attract them.
We do have a nice little theatre ,a Zoo and a great sports park but that's about it. There isn't a lot to draw the older generation to holiday here and they are the ones who extend the holiday season. When I said about Clutter i meant the way it looks now with the pier.

Offline Ian

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Re: Colwyn Bay Waterfront Redevelopment
« Reply #458 on: May 23, 2013, 07:07:12 am »
I've always thought the biggest problem with CB's pier is its lack of length. But I do agree about removal of the buildings; and you're spot on about the visitor patterns changing.  It's far from being a simple issue...
Nothing is so firmly believed as that which we least know.  ― Michel de Montaigne

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Offline BMD

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Re: Colwyn Bay Waterfront Redevelopment
« Reply #459 on: May 23, 2013, 10:49:30 am »
What would have been nice is just to have the basic pier restored and maybe a small token building on it maybe like Bangor Pier. Therefore there wouldn't be all these possible retail outlets needing to be used.

I agree with that. I'd be happy to see the pier well-preserved as a basic structure. But the arguments about money would need to shift from: "how is it going to financially justify its own existence?" to "it's an absolute priority to preserve this important part of our heritage".

The Waterfront building isn't part of the sea defenses - it's a non-essential addition to them. A costly addition. What I don't understand is why the Waterfront building apparently doesn't have to financially justify itself (in the way that the pier seemingly has to). There's a lot of "emperor's new clothes" about this issue.

Offline Merddin Emrys

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Re: Colwyn Bay Waterfront Redevelopment
« Reply #460 on: May 23, 2013, 11:10:11 am »
I've seen on Facebook that the rent for the cafe in the Skip by the Sea is £40k a year plus rates! If that is true no wonder it isn't in use!
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Offline Linda

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Re: Colwyn Bay Waterfront Redevelopment
« Reply #461 on: May 23, 2013, 12:41:03 pm »
Maybe the buildings on the Waterfront may be a waste, I suppose time will tell unless they get a really nice cafe going on there I see closed doors, hopefully that wont happen.
I understood that the base of the waterfront with looks good, and the rock groyne from it were actually helping to stop the sand from moving further along and keeping the sea back in that area therefore keeping that nice little beach and the prom from getting battered by the sea. Something to do with longshore drift i believe with our prevailing winds coming  Westerly to North west. Therefore part of protecting the shoreline. Again time will tell. The work  had to be done along the seafront to protect road and railway so therefore a little extra was thrown in to sweeten the medicine.A safe place for Jet skiers was needed too  (could have been prettier and cheaper). Maybe a Little pavilion would have looked good instead of the utility look now. Although i like some modern designs personally I feel the coast and beaches are naturally beautiful as are the Mountains and lakes of Snowdonia and therefore ,I would like to see any structures remain sympathetic to their surroundings. Which the skip shaped building is not by any stretch of the imagination, but sadly we are stuck with it.



Offline Merddin Emrys

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Re: Colwyn Bay Waterfront Redevelopment
« Reply #462 on: May 24, 2013, 05:25:19 pm »
I went this morning to see the high tide, had a look at Porth Eirias too, is it open? hard to tell really! Already it's in need of cleaning up and sand has blown on to the road (like the West Shore in Llandudno!) they were cleaning up the sand when we drove back, plenty of work for the council for years to come there! No watersports were going on at all!
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Offline Yorkie

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Re: Colwyn Bay Waterfront Redevelopment
« Reply #463 on: May 24, 2013, 05:33:56 pm »
The Prophesy is manifesting itself!     ZXZ
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Offline mull

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Re: Colwyn Bay Waterfront Redevelopment
« Reply #464 on: May 24, 2013, 05:34:25 pm »
There is to much sand lets cover the beach with rocks. That might cure the problem.  :'( :laugh: